Males in Yoga….Guys Really Do Love yoga!
Some women may find it suprising that for the average guy, starting yoga can be intimidating. It’s True. The thought of being the only male in a sea of brightly coloured lululemon pants, pink yoga mats, and uber-bendy yoginis twisting into cirque de soleil like shapes all while keeping a serene smile on their face, not sweating a drop, and continuing to keep just the right tempo with their ujjayi breathing…. makes them feel uncomfortable to say the least!

Wich brings me to the reason for this post….male yoga myths debunked and exposed!!!

GUY URBAN LEGENDS AND/OR MYTHS ABOUT YOGA

1. The goal of yoga is to become flexible.
Intimidation Factor : (high)
You are afraid of looking pathetic because while the girls in the class are turning themselves into human pretzels you are not even able to touch your toes. Truth: The goal of yoga is to calm the fluctuations of the mind, not so you can get invited to join the circus. The girl next to you may easily touch her toes, but may find holding a simple plank intimidating. Yoga brings to attention things for all of us to work on, be it physical or otherwise. the beauty of it is that it is never boring because it continues to challenge everyone!

2. I sweat too much Intimidation Factor: (low)
You fear grossing out the other people in class with your sweat!
Truth: As a yoga teacher and friend, Ally Hamilton said, and I quote “If I minded sweat I would have picked a different job”. As a yoga teacher myself, I think its great – your body is detoxifying! Most women students love seeing guys in class, so the sweat is a non issue,..but no farting,..that’s pushing it! j/k

3. You will have to give up your masculinity Intimidation Factor: (High)
You fear that just about the time you start getting comfortable in down dog you’ll have turned into a complete wuss.
Truth: A ton of pro athletes are doing yoga these days, not to mention regular guys wanting to improve their golf swing, cross train, or simply de-stress! To prove my point I have included a list (feel free to forward this to any of your friends who chuckled the last time you told them you were headed to yoga class!)

ATHLETES THAT LOVE YOGA

Baseball:

Barry Zito

All Star Pitcher and he does yoga

Blake McFarland
I believe it has helped my game tremendously. It (yoga) gives me strength in muscles I have never used before. I seem way more fluid on the mound. Yoga showed me how to utilize the mind.”

Carlos Alonso

3rd Baseman: 2008 All So Cal & WSC 1st Team ’08 & ’07 — “My flexibility increased a tremendous amount. I think it was able to keep me heatlhy throughout the whole season. Yoga helps you have a quite time in your day where you can relax and focus.”

Aaron Bauman
“My flexibility has already improved dramatically and I am more confident on the field just knowing that I am far less prone to injury now then I was just a few months ago in the fall.” Brian Gregory, Catcher, Santa Barbara City College, Cal State Northridge —“I’m more focused than i have ever been. Working on breathing techniques was a huge part of me becoming more focused, it takes you to a quiet, self-controlled environment where you learn to control your actions.”

Basketball:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

20 years in pro basketball. (Many consider Abdul-Jabbar to be the greatest center, maybe the greatest player, in basketball history) — “There is no way I could have played as long as I did without yoga. My friends and teammates think I made a deal with the devil. But it was yoga that made my training complete,” he says.

Shaq

—“I’m the worst yoga student in the history of yoga,” says O’Neal. Still has a special mat being made for his gigantic frame and liked the heat and purifying effects of the practice. To read the article CLICK HERE .

Antawn Jamis

Although he first admits he thought of yoga as “feminine”, Antawn began to appreciate yoga when he noticed less wear and tear on his body from regular practice. Watch him talk about the benifits of yoga practice and do some yoga here on

YouTube

Kevin Garnett

NBA superstar —“I’ve been doing yoga since 1995, and I practice my breathing and focusing exercises before every game.”

LeBron James

—“Yoga isn’t just about the body, it’s also about the mind, and it’s a technique that has really helped me,” James said. “You do have to focus because there’s some positions that can really hurt you at times if you aren’t focused and breathing right.” He says that yoga has really helped his back, and he finds the practice mentally challenging. Read more about what some of his favorite poses are HERE WATCH LEBRON TEACH KIDS YOGA HERE

Football:

Eddie George


Heisman Trophy winner, NFL running back—“Yoga has made my entire body more flexible, I’m stronger in my upper body, and I’m living proof that yoga prevents injuries”

Dudley LaPorte

4 Star Tight End; —What he loves about yoga: “The quality of the stretch… the level of mental concentration that is gained. These same skills that I used in yoga, breathing and being calm are the same things that I will apply to the football field during big time plays and situations.”
Anthony Hartz

Punter, 1st Team WSC 2007, Nominated All State, SBCC Record 81 yard punt —“Yoga helps loosen up my hips and makes my legs more flexible… I can get more reach … produces more hang time and distance on the ball. The breathing has helped my confidence. Breathing helps you calm down and relax since you don’t think about what is going on around you. You just focus on what you need to succeed.”

Cross Country/ Track & Field :

Weley Korpela:

— “I did see changes in my strength, flexibility, and balance by a lot and I am surprised.

Golf:

J.L. Lewis

PGA Tour —“Flexibility is the most important thing for a golfer. The yoga stretches made my swing longer-there’s no question about it. The added range of motion enabled me to get a better turn and power through the ball.”

Hockey:

Sean Burke

All-Star NHL goaltender —“In sports, you need balance, strength and flexibility, and yoga helps so much in each of those areas. It’s definitely been a huge part of my success.”

Racquetball :

Sean Larkin:
“Many times I had thought that ‘that’s’ [yoga] for girls or girly men; not for real athletes. I had a lot to learn. Very quickly I became astutely aware that this was not just a stretching routine, THIS IS A FULL BLOWN WORKOUT- fit for athletes training at the highest level.”
Tennis :
Justin Gimelstob, ATP tennis player — “Yoga saved my career. I was facing back surgery, and tried yoga instead. Now my back is in great shape, plus the yoga is an unbelievable workout. I’m a total convert.”
Triathletes :
Deyl Kearin,
“I love to challenge myself. I greatly increased my flexibility and have not had any of “Yoga has made my entire body more flexible, I’m stronger in my upper body, and I’m living proof that yoga prevents injuries.”

Wishing you many decades of Happy Warrior Poses and Joyful Chaterungas! Namaste! Angela Kukhahn Angela Kukhahn